PM for upgrading early warning system

Stressing upgradation of the traditional early warning and disaster mitigation system, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said international cooperation for exchange of weather data and information is very important for disaster management globally.
“We've to ensure proper application of latest technology with our conventional system for upgrading our existing early warning and mitigation activities,” Hasina said, inaugurating the 41st Session of WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones for the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea held at the International Conference Center of the Prime Minister's Office.
The prime minister said the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones is an inter-governmental organisation for promotion and coordination of such activities in the panel area, and the people of this region are getting benefits out of it.
Hasina said although it is not possible to prevent natural disasters, their mitigation and adaptation are possible through accurate and timely forecasts and warnings along with adequate preparedness.
She mentioned that under the financial and technical assistance of Jica, three sophisticated Doppler radars have been installed at Cox's Bazar, Khepupara and Moulvibazar. Moreover, the conventional radars of Dhaka and Rangpur will be replaced by other two sophisticated Doppler radars.
Similarly, she said, a project has been taken up to reduce accidents of river going vessels through issuance of advance forecast of impending hazardous weather. Also, to run the latest numerical model, high performance computers will be installed and automatic weather stations will be established through a project for introduction of numerical weather prediction system.
Hasina said the project will be completed soon and through this, it will be possible to issue more lead time-based area specific weather forecast.
“The disaster management policy of the government has taken a paradigm shift from conventional response and relief to comprehensive risk reduction culture.”
Chief of the tropical cyclone programme division of World Metrological Organisation (WMO) Dr Taoyong Peng; Secretary of Panel on Tropical Cyclones and also the Director General of Pakistan Metrological Department Arif Mahmud; and representative of UN ESCAP Keran Wang also spoke on the occasion.